I also live in Chicago, and was hoping for a Shuttle base.

During an info session that I went to, they said that they would be willing to work with you if, say, you lived in Chicago, and would like the Shuttle cert. in order to have the chance to be based at ORD (or at least bid for it in the future). However, I was offered Chatauqua on the premise that they didn't want me flying the 170 with such "low time".

That said, they just shuffled around some classes and put me in the 02/28 Shuttle class, so I guess my low time wasn't all that much of an issue and they just put me where they needed me...who knows.

btw: 700tt/200me/150turbine